Lamp-socket switch and means for mounting the same



Feb. 17, 1931. v. R. DESPARD LAMP SOCKET SWITCH AND MEANS FOR MOUNTINGTHE SAME Filed Nov. 16, 1925 9d. fi d/U m6 6 0 7 3 fi '25 Patented Feb.17, 1931' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- vrcron 1a.,nnsraan, orvALranmso,TNDIANA, .A'SSIGNOR 'ro mam. MANUFACTUR- me COMPANY, A CORPORATION orINDIANA LAMP-SOCKET SWITCH AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING. THE SAME Applicationfiled November 16, 1925.' Serial Ne. 69,388.

. permanent part thereof by means of which said switch mechanism may bemounted on a suitable support. Preferably, the support is a memberprovided with an opening through which the securing means extends and inthe drawings is shown as being a housing or husk member havingan openingtherein through which the securing means is projected, a retainingdevice being applied to the securing means for holding the switchmechanism within the housing or husk.

More particularly it is a purpose of my invention to provide a switchmechanism having a movable contact element mounted on a frame member,ordinarily known as a switch frame, and to provide the securing means onsaid switch frame so as to be a permanent part thereof. Said securingmeans preferably is made in the form of a tubular screwthreaded memberprojecting from one side of the switch frame with the movable contactment extends. The actuating means is preferably mounted axially of thesecuring memher and projectes endwise therebeyond to provide anoperating finger piece.

It is another specific purpose of the invention to provide a switchmechanism of the above mentioned character associated with lamp socketterminals, said terminals being the actuating means referred to abovepref-' erably are arranged coaxial with the screw shell contact ofthepair of lamp socket terminals.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as thedescription of the accompanying drawings proceeds. How-- ever, I desireto have it distinctly understood that I do not intend to limit myself tothe exact details shown or described, but that 1 intend to include aspart of my invention all such obvious changes and modifications of partsas would occur to a person skilled in this art and as would fall withinthe scope of the claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved lamp socket switchmechanism;

Fig. 2 is. a section taken substantially at.

right angles -to Fig. 1 of said lamp socket switch mechanism mountedflina husk or housing, said section beingtaken substantial- 1y on the line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line Fi 2; and

Figure 4 is a section taken at right angles to Figure 3 furtherillustrating the switch framework.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my improved switch mechanismcomprises a switch framework 10 having the transversely extendingportion 11 and the pair of side members 12 which are provided with pivotlugs 13 upon which the pivotallymounted contact arm 14 is mounted, thesame being insulated from the switch framework 110 by means of theinsulating members 15 and 16.

Suitable snap action mechanism is provided for actuating the contactelement 14 comprising the U-shaped member ,17 which has pivotallymounted thereon the intermediate U-shaped member '18 which is providedwith hook fingers 19 onithe extremities thereof that are adapted toengage with the edges 20 and 21 of the upstanding members 22 and 23provided on the framework'lO. 'A tension spring 24 connects the bightportion of the U-shaped member 18 with thetransversely extending portion25 of the contact 1:4 is insulated both from the snap action mechanismand-from the frame 10.

The transversely extending portion 11 of the frame 10 is provided withan opening 27 through which the reduced end 28 of the securing member 29extends, saidmember 29 being screw-threaded externally as indicated at30. The reduced end of the member 29 is headed over as indicated at 31to permanently and rigidly secure the member 29 to the switch frame 10.The a .tuating means for the movable contact member 14 comprises thelink 32 which is secured to the U-shaped member 17 and extends throughthe bore 33 in the tubular member 29 and the finger piece or operatingmember 34 which is universally tiltably connected with the link 32 at 35and is tiltable on the seat 36 provided on the outer end of the securingmember 29. The tilting of the member 34 out of its normal axiallyalignedposition shown in the drawings causes movement of the link 32 inthe direction of its length to operate the U-shaped members 17 and 23 soas to actuate the switch arm 14 with a snap action from the positionshown in Fig. 1 to a position on the opposite side of the pivots thereofas is well understood.

The frame member 10, is provided with laterally extending cars 37 havingreduced end portions 38 extending through openings in the insulatingmembers 39. Said insulating members are preferably made of sheetinsulating material and are furthermore secured together at their lowerends by means of the transversely extending members 40 which have theprojections 41 extending through openings in the members 39 and upset soas to secure said members 39 firmly against the end edges 42 of saidmembers 40. The lamp socket terminals 43 and 44 are mounted on theopposite end of the members 39, said members 39 being secured togetherat said end by) means of the transversely extending mem ers 45 whichhave projections 46 extending through the openings 47 in the members 39.

An insulating washer 48 is mounted between the end of the screw shelland the members 39 and said screw shell is secured in position by meansof the securing ring 49 having the cars 50 through which the securingmember 51 extends, said member 51 also serving as one of the wiringterminals. The screw shell also has an ear 52 that extends under thehead 53 of the member 51 and a conductor may be clamped between saidhead and said ear. The central contact 44 of the lamp socket terminalsis mounted on an extension 54 provided on one of the members 45, whilethe other member 45 is provided with a wiring terminal 55 for the otherconductor of the circuit. The one member 45 havin the central contact 44thereon is rovided with a contact 56 and the other mem r is providedwith a contact 57, ,said contacts 56 and 57 being bridged by the member14 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Openings are provided in the members 39 at 58 so as to permit a closespacing of the members 39 for a relatively large angular movement of themember 14, thus providing for a larger gap between the movable contactelement and the stationary contacts when the parts are in open circuitposition.

A tubular member of insulating material, such as paper, embraces theswitch mechanism and is indicated by the numeral 59. The member 59 isprovided with a pair of openings 60 adjacent the lower ends thereofthrough which the fingers 61 provided on the members 40 extend. A pairof fingers 62 on each of the members 40 is also provided which serve assupports or rests for the lower edge of the member 59. Furthermore, themembers 62 are spaced apart so as to provide an opening between the sameinto which the lug 63 extends, saidlug 63 being provided on theinsulating housing 64 which is provided with an opening at 65 throughwhich themember 29 extends. Said housing member 64 is further providedwith an enlarged bore 66 for receiving the lamp socket switch mechanismshown in Fig. 1 and with an end wall 67 against which the members 62engage when the nut 68 is tightened on the member 29 to clamp the lampsocket switch mechanism to the housing 64. A Washer 69 is providedbetween the member 68 and the housing 64 and a bracket member 70 has aportion that extends around the opening 65 and under the nut 68, as willbe clear from Fig. 2.

The advantages of my construction will be obvious when it is seen thatthe lamp socket switch mechanism forms a unit which merely has to beinserted through the open end of the bore 66 with the member 29projected through the opening 65 whereupon by applying and tighteningthe nut 68, the lamp socket switch mechanism is secured in place and theoperating means therefor is ready for use. No other openings than thesingle opening 65 are necessary for mounting of the mechanlsm in placeand for providing operating means in an accessible position. Not only isth s true, but the lamp socket switch unit 1s mounted in the housing 64in fixed positlon by merely inserting the same therein so that theprojection 63 enters between a palr of the members 62, the tightening ofthe nut 68 on the screw-threaded stem 29 holding the parts in suchposition that there will be no relative rotation of the lamp socketswitch mechanlsm within the housing. It will be furthermore noted thatthe switch frame 10 with the movable contact member and its actuatingmeans and the securing member 29 form a unlt, the parts being allpermanently secured together so that there is nothing complicated aboutassembling the switch mechanism with any suitable supporting device orany suitable fixture and that said frame 10. furthermore has mountedthereon the insulating meansupon which the lamp socket terminals arecarried, the wiring terminals being also mounted thereon. Theinsulating. members 39, the switch framework 10 and the securing members40 and transversely extending members i 45 cooperate to produce a rigidrectangular framework, the parts of which are fixed relative to eachother and cannot move out of position. The movable parts of the switchmechanism are mounted within the confines of this framework which isvery compact and produces a relatively light and narrow structure for arelatively large air gap for the switch mechanism in open circuitposition.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure byUnited States Letters Patent is:

In a device of the character described, a

switch frame, a movable switch elementthere VICTOR R. DESPARD.

